1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a separable fastener, and more particularly, to a separable fastener adapted for any application where it is desirable to provide independent joinder of adjacent areas such as in maternity or mastectomy garments or the like, to facilitate independent exposure of either breast of the wearer without removal of the garment.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Maternity or mastectomy garments are designed to provide the ability to independently expose a single breast at a time without having to remove the entire garment. To this end, there are several patents directed to garments having special fastener provisions which permit such operation.
An example is provided in U.S. Pat. No. 3,002,515 of Oct. 3, 1961 to Glogover, which teaches a nursing brassiere for independently opening and securing either of two separable bra cups to a medial pillar with hook and eye fasteners. A similar type of nursing brassiere is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,613,355 of Oct. 14, 1952 to Coleman, in which a pair of releasable breast pockets are independently secured to a medial stay by a plurality of hook and eye fasteners. In spite of the independent closure feature in such designs, there is a drawback in that the wearer must expend time and effort to close and open a plurality of individual fastener components. This can be remedied by using a single fastener adapted to release either side of an attached portion of the garment.
It is well known in the art to employ single-closure fasteners for joining separable areas of garments. An example of such a fastener for joining separable areas in wearing apparel including brassiere cups, jewelry, drapery, or the like, is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 3,200,464 of Aug. 17, 1965 to Cousins. U.S. Pat. No. 3,798,711 of Mar. 26, 1974 to Cousins, also teaches a single-closure fastener for use with garments, jewelry, key chains, equipment or assemblies, harnesses, straps, belts, or the like. Other examples of brassieres with single-closure fasteners are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,196,878 of Jul. 27, 1965 to Hedu, and No. 2,912,984 of Nov. 17, 1959 to Jensen.
In view of the deficiencies in the prior art, there exists a need for a double-closure fastener useful with maternity, mastectomy or like garments, which, like known single-closure designs, is easy to use, and economical to manufacture.